Pages

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Seekerville is delighted to have Harlequin Love Inspired, Editorial Assistant, Rachel Burkot with us today. I sent Rachel some of my burning questions (there were a few myths I admit to being anxious to debunk) which she was kind enough to answer. Rachel will be popping in today to answer your questions as well. ~~ Tina Radcliffe

Rachel, tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a Pittsburgh gal who followed the beckoning of the books to New York City almost two years ago to forge my way in publishing. No one who knows me is the least bit surprised I ended up working with books—I remember taking a book out to recess every day in grade school, walking the perimeter of the playground, totally absorbed in the world of whatever I was reading and completely oblivious to my classmates running around. The hopeless romantic in me has found the perfect home at Harlequin. (Nicholas Sparks has yet to write a book that doesn’t have tears running down my face by the last page.)

Besides my obvious book obsession, I’m also a diehard football fan (and will always be loyal to my Pittsburgh Steelers, no matter how long I live in New York!), shopaholic with a shoe problem (particularly proud of my ability to walk around New York in crazy-high heels), eternal optimist (because life’s just way more fun that way), country music lover (definitely went through withdrawal upon moving to New York and realizing that country music is the one thing you cannot get in this city) and family girl (so blessed to have the extremely close relationship that I do with my parents and two younger sisters, despite the 400 miles between us). That’s me in a nutshell.

How do you like living in New York City? Was there a bit of culture shock at first?

Culture shock you could certainly call it! The biggest transition was adjusting from suburban city to city life. Things like relying on public transportation daily and expecting to wait a minimum of thirty minutes in line at the grocery store make for a very different lifestyle from what I knew growing up in north-of-Pittsburgh suburbia—not to mention the tiny Amish town where I went to college, which featured two stoplights, a coffee shop that closed at 8 p.m. and a Pizza Joe’s, the hot spot of Main Street.

Day-to-day adjustments were hard, but the most difficult part was leaving all my family and friends behind at barely age 22 to make my way alone in such a huge, terrifying place. Early on, I definitely had a few panic attacks, along with crippling bouts of loneliness and homesickness, but coming to work at Harlequin every day is what held my sanity in place. My job quickly became a life preserver as I struggled to find my identity as a newbie New Yorker, as well as a constant reinforcement that I had made the right decision—that the initial struggles were so worth it. And the longer I’m here, the more I’m realizing that the opportunities this city provides are truly endless, incredible and absolutely worth taking advantage of!

What is a typical day/week for an editorial assistant like?

The awesome thing about my job is that every day is different. The variety of fun tasks I get to tackle is perfect for my high-energy personality. In one day, I might get to help an author with their art fact sheet, fiddle with back cover copy for a book, leaf through a manuscript for that perfect, attention-grabbing front sales passage, and work on a line edit. Plus there are copyedited manuscripts to go through, author changes to input, dedications to collect, covers and front matter to look over, revised proposals/manuscripts to check out, art briefings to attend, emails to answer or field appropriately, revision letters to write, contracts to input...and then reading to get to, when all of that is taken care of! I usually get a lot of reading done on Wednesdays because it’s quiet in the office. I also find that I can often devote a big chunk of Fridays, as long as I’ve accomplished the big tasks for the week, to the slush pile.

Is there a busy season for the editorial department?

Because LI/LIH/LIS combined produce 14 books per month, without fail, the monthly workload stays more or less the same. There are times that are busier than others, right before due dates that hit us every month fairly consistently, but this “normalcy” in the schedule helps with prioritizing tasks and making sure nothing falls through the cracks!

Is it true editors clear their desks every December 31st?

No.

How big is your slush pile over at the Harlequin, NYC offices?

Nothing short of scary. I currently have about 10 complete manuscripts to evaluate, another 10 partials and 20 or so queries and synopses. Yikes!

What lines do you work with/acquire for?

I’m technically the EA (editorial assistant) for just the Love Inspired line, but I do some work with LIH and LIS too. Actually, 3 of my authors write for LIH. I also work a bit on the single title side, with MIRA author Sherryl Woods and HQN author Linda Lael Miller. Additionally, one of the many, many awesome things about working at Harlequin is that I can acquire not just for the Love Inspired lines, but for any of Harlequin’s imprints!

What would your advice be to aspiring Love Inspired authors?

Concentrate on telling a strong story well. Start with a bang. Grab readers’ (but first, editors) attention right away, from the first line. Be sure the plot has a unique, interesting hook. Create relatable, sympathetic characters, especially heroines whom romance readers can identify with. Give them sufficient goals, motivations and conflicts, both internal and external. A particular pet peeve of mine is contrived or convenient plot devices—for example, having an accident scene that has no greater impact on the plot than making the characters finally realize their love for each other. If it takes a life-threatening incident for them to admit their feelings (when they’re not thinking straight anyway), how are they going to maintain their relationship through the less dramatic, day-to-day ups and downs of life? These contrived scenes feel cheap and like cop-outs. Be creative. Be original. Stay true to the characters you have created.

Is true that you can really tell by the first paragraph, first page that you have a story you want to see more of?

No. There’s just no hard-and-fast rule for how long it takes to tell if a story has potential. But it always takes more than a paragraph to sell me.

Is it true editors do most of their manuscript reading at home or on the subway?

Yes. As an assistant, I have more time at the office for reading than senior editors who have all the various day-to-day tasks involved in running a line, but I often read at home or on the subway too. Nothing passes a long train ride faster than getting absorbed in a great manuscript! And quite frankly, even if my reading load were manageable enough to get it all done in the office, I’d still be bringing manuscripts home. Because I’m still counting my blessings that I’ve found a job where the line between work and fun is often blurred—in fact, usually invisible.

What sort of settings and plots are overused?

Recently we’ve seen a lot of “renovating a house together” stories, as well as horse therapy ranches. We’d love to see some creative hero/heroine occupations (except for show business). And we’re always looking for more Amish stories!

Is there anything particular? Any buzz word or theme that Love Inspired is looking for in submissions?

We’re always looking for compelling, can’t-put-it-down stories, no matter what the theme is. Unpredictability and fresh elements. Unique hooks and twists. (Great example: The Aristocrat’s Lady by new LIH author Mary Moore, debuting in September! I don’t want to give anything away, but the heroine has a secret that will keep readers turning pages—and keep the hero intrigued by her!) Relatable characters. Strong heroines. (Check out Hearts in Flight, a July LIH by another new author, Patty Smith Hall, featuring a heroine who flies planes for the Women’s Army Special Pilots—no one can deter this headstrong lady from her mission!) High-stakes conflict for those suspense stories. (Stephanie Newton has a perfect example of this with her LIS out this month, The Baby’s Bodyguard, which starts out with the hero saving an abandoned baby on a boat—and the stakes only get higher from there!)

Also, there are books on the craft that make great resources for honing in on strong conflict, character development and plot building. Two that I feel are especially valuable for writers, brand new and seasoned alike, are Thanks, But This Isn’t For Us by Jessica Page Morrell (a detailed analysis of why your writing may have received rejections from publishers, with tips for strengthening everything from dialogue to well-rounded scenes and characters) and Goal, Motivation and Conflict by Debra Dixon (a thin volume that’s jam-packed with clear guidance for how to give your characters believable goals, motivation and conflict for everything they do).

Can you tell us a little about the Love Inspired (15 years!) anniversary that is coming up in 2012?

Yes! We’re very excited to be celebrating fifteen years of Love Inspired books and the tremendous growth that the line has seen—from 3 books a month back in 1997 to 14 today, from only contemporary to quite the range of historical settings from all eras and exciting, action-packed suspense plots. In 2012 we’ll be celebrating with books by bestselling authors who have been writing for us since the beginning, as well as brand-new authors who we’re very excited to have on board! There will also be top author reissues and special miniseries in all three lines. In particular, September 2012 will be a big month for LI. We’ll have lots of top authors, and a few surprises ;-) Stay tuned. And get excited—we certainly are!

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these questions, Rachel!

We're celebrating Rachel's visit today with Love Inspired giveaways by Seeker authors to random blog visitors. Do let us know if there is a book you especially want.

Submit your first and last page of an unpublished, completed manuscript targeted at Love Inspired, Love Inspired Suspense or Love Inspired Historical.

Five finalists will be announced on Sunday, August 28th, 2011 in the Weekend Edition. Those finalists will then be judged by today's guest, Editorial Assistant Rachel Burkot.

The winner will be announced on Sunday, October 2 at the launch of our Seekerville Fourth Birthday Party Celebration Weekend Edition. The winner will have an opportunity to avoid the slush pile and submit their first three chapters and synopsis of the completed winning manuscript to Rachel Burkot. The four remaining finalists will have an opportunity to submit their first three chapters and synopsis to Seekerville for an anonymous critique.

We request you do not pitch Rachel today in Seekerville nor ask contest questions on the blog. We do however ask that if you enter the contest you doleave a hi for our esteemed guest.No drive-by contesting.

Detailed rules for this contest are available on a special Read Me Contest tab at the top of this post.

Oh, what a great interview! Thank you so much, Rachel, for sharing all that info about your job with us! :)

This next year I'm going to be a senior in college, and I have to ask: how did you get your job as editorial assistant? Did you see a job opening and send in your resume, then get picked for that opening? Or did you just send in your resume to lots of publishers and hope for an opening? I really would love to work at a publishing company as either a publicist or editor, so any advice on getting in would be SUPER! :)

And to the Seekers, I would love a chance to win a print copy of Cheryl's book or one of Ruthy's books. Thank you!

You're one brave woman to leave home and go to NYC to follow your dreams! And I love the image of you on the playground, book in hand, your imagination running wild--reminds me of another little girl many (many!) years ago.

Thanks for mentioning Hearts in Flight--but I can't take all the credit. The Lord sent a fantabulous editor my way!

This was a way cool blog post until I got to the contest part and then I almost jumped out of my chair! I'm so excited! I just finished my new ms and I wrote it for the LIH line, hoping for a chance. Now I get to at least send the first and last pages! Yay! I love Seekerville, what can I say???

Hi Rachel love what you wrote. When you mention similar story lines. I went through a stage where the books had the heroine had a child which just happened to be the heros only he didn't know and they meet again. totally different stories but seemed to be the same in one way.

Oh I could imagine the change from a smaller town to NYC. I come from a smallish town no traffic lights, public transport or even McDonalds.

I would love to be considered for Glynna's new book as I have loved hers or Ruthy's although I have number one in the series. Same with Tinas I have her first one. (if thats allowable.) I just bought Debbie's latest last week and of course the March/april ones.

I have to say I LOVE the LI lines. some my favourite people are LI authors. (Jillian Hart and I are going to meet to try out the myth if two klutz's meet we will balance it out) Cheryl Wyatt and I are going to watch a cricket match together when she visits Australia.

Great info, and don't you just wanna smack someone that there is NO COUNTRY MUSIC in NYC??? 'Sup wi dat? We need to protest. You lead, I'll follow. You even have Yankees that use country tunes to come to the plate... But no country music station. Bah.

I'm so excited that you're here! And yes, I'm hard at work, stop scolding... A Family to Cherish is DELIGHTFULLY MOVING RIGHT ALONG. Have I mentioned I love my job?

Okay, I'll stop prattling.

But I do. I love my job. And I'm psyched that you're playin' with us today!

Ruthy, I like sheriffs, they are cool so are drs or medical personel. (which is ironic when Im scared of Drs)Oh Wonder why no one seems to have a dentist as a hero! I actually like my dentist. I have had a run on books with sheriffs or deputies but thats ok I have loved them as they are so different.

Hi Rachel, So fun to see more about the life of an editor. I'm amazed at all you accomplish each month and I'm so proud to be part of the Love Inspired great line up of authors. Thanks for sharing.Susan Sleeman

Thanks so much for sharing about your experience and giving some insight into the world of an editor.

Your job sounds like a lot of work, but a lot of fun. I think the opportunity to read a great manuscript and know that you're going to help someone achieve their dream of publication would be extremely rewarding.

Can't wait to see what Harlequin has planned for the 15 year anniversary!

Rachel! Now I have a face for the name. I loved hearing you're a Pittsburgh girl. I live 3 hours north of Pittsburgh.

I would have been so lost without your encouraging guidance through the book publishing process. Thanks so much for always being quick to answer my emails...even if my questions made you roll your eyes. ;)

Good morning, Rachel! How absolutely wonderful to have you in Seekerville!

Absolutely LOVED your account of life in New York City. LOL! I can't even imagine consistantly waiting in check out lines of over a half an hour! Our city is just under 100,000 folks and rush hour is BRUTAL! LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!

So much fun having you here today. Loved hearing you're active in the editorial process. Good for you; great for us!!

Gosh, Rachel, your interview was fresh and fun like I imagine you must be, which leads me to suspect you're a writer as well as an editor -- true or false? I would think it might be true for most editors since editing goes hand-in-hand with good writing, but I have no idea. Do you know many editors who also write books?

At any rate, WELCOME TO SEEKERVILLE!! It is SUCH a joy to have you here today, and I am so fascinated by you and your interview, it makes me want to sit right down and write an LI, which in my case, would probably end up being three of them since I tend toward 500-page books!!

And I SO admire you tackling the big city by yourself at the age of "barely 22"!! Something tells me there just has to be a story in that as well!

Hi Rachel! You are one brave lady-I loved hearing about your transition to the big city and also your duties at Harlequin. I visited NYC once while in college and it was exciting but overwhelming for this TN gal. Regarding your pet peeve, I guess I'm in trouble since I love put accidents in my stories and see the hero/heroine in danger! lol May have to rethink my strategy. :)

Oh, Rachel, you do indeed have a “dream” job, though I know it must be terribly hard to be so far away from your family. I live in Louisiana, but am from Ohio, and half of my family, including my siblings, are up there. It’s very difficult, but I am beyond blessed to have my mommy (yes, I still call her mommy!) with me. I LOVE the Amish people in my old town. They lend such a wonderful, quaint atmosphere. I miss seeing the buggies and the straw hats, and the adorable children following after the mums!

It’s been a real treat to get an inside glimpse at Harlequin and a day in the life of an Editorial Assistant. Many thanks from the Seekerville readers and we hope you come back and visit!

Giving away Seeker books?! What a decision… of course, can you really go wrong with any of them? I’m reading Debby Giusti’s THE OFFICER’S SECRET right now and am really enjoying it, so I’m up for KILLER HEADLINES, or a couple others I’ve been itchy about are ROCKY MOUNTAIN HERO by Audra Harders and WANTED: A FAMILY by Janet Dean. And Reunited Hearts sounds SO good, oh, and A Family for Faith… Just put me in the drawing for any of them. LOL (It’s an acronym, you all!)

Hi all! I'm so excited to be featured on Seekerville today! Thank you SO MUCH to Tina, Ruth, Glynna, Missy, Audra, Janet, Debby and all of the other Seekers for having me on board today :) I'm thrilled to share a little insight into the editorial world behind the Love Inspired books and to answer questions!

And I just grabbed a FRESH box from the Bagel Hole in Brooklyn, and fresh makes all the difference according to national bagel taste tests.

(National means NYC because no one else's taste test really matters. Just so you know.)

Grab 'em fresh. No dough softeners or preservatives, so fresh is ESSENTIAL TO BAGEL GREATNESS, but so remarkable as to be defined. Bringing in Leo's later (financial district) for lunch, their shrimp salad is A-STINKIN'-MAZING.

Good morning, Rachel! Thanks for sharing your journey from small-town PA to the Big Apple. It took some serious guts for you to tackle NYC at such a young age. As one of those lucky new authors working with you, I'm really glad you did :)

Great interview! I'm also the oldest of three girls and love my younger sisters so much. We get along great. Plus, I spent most of my school days reading. lolIt sounds like you love your job. Thank you for sharing about it!

Welcome Rachel, thanks for sharing with us. I’m a big fan of LI and love to hear about the publishing process. What a great job!

My best friend in college was from the Pittsburgh area. Her family took pity on this California girl far from home by letting me spend Thanksgivings with them. Years (and years) later I’m still impressed with how warm and kind folks from that neck of the woods are to visitors.

Go Steelers!

I have only three chapters left in Small-Town Hearts so of course if I’m picked I’d want Mending Hearts.

Okay, I've got my yogurt and my coffee, now I'm ready to answer questions :-) Though you're all making me want to run to the closest deli and grab a bagel instead. YUM!

Amber and Kav: To answer your questions about working in publishing, my best advice is to apply to internships first. (I don't know anyone who got started in publishing without first interning.) Before I moved to New York, I applied online to dozens of internships and ended up getting a great one with two literary agencies that shared an office suite. So you can definitely intern at an agency and then end up working for a publishing house, or vice-versa. I learned so much from the agents I worked for, and when I started at Harlequin I got to see the whole other side of the biz--the fabulous world of editing! And every day, I'm continuing to learn from the best here :-)

Laura: I was an English major in college. I also minored in writing and communications. And I have friends in publishing who have various educational backgrounds: communications, journalism, even public relations. So there are a variety of routes you can go to end up in publishing!

Julie: Am I a writer too? I love writing very much and find it to be a therapeutic activity. I actually don't know many editors who also write books though--these creative pursuits are such time investments that I imagine anyone trying to be both a full-time writer and editor would need to give up sleep--and forget about having a social life!

Hey Rachel, it was an unexpected pleasure to meet you at RWA NYC. Okay, that sounds like I didn't expect to enjoy meeting you, LOL. The unexpected part was that I wasn't scheduled to meet you, but that's the way it worked out. :)

So there's no country music in NY? Being a prairie girl, I hadn't noticed. I guess I was too busy looking up at the tall buildings and listening to the city static (horns, sirens, screams, heh).

I love your line, "Because I’m still counting my blessings that I’ve found a job where the line between work and fun is often blurred—in fact, usually invisible." I hope you'll always feel that way.

Since I was 14, my dream has been to write for Harlequin and while reading your post, the enthusiasm you show for this company glows like a lighthouse on a stormy night. It's drawing me closer...stirring the flames...reminding me of the manuscript I need to finish...Yikes!

Thanks for coming to Seekerville with such an insightful post. Have a great day!

Hi Rachel! What a pleasure to read your interview. So refreshing to hear from an editor who is so optimistic and full of energy and spark. You truly convey your love for your work. I would have withdrawal symptoms without country music! Hope you brought some in the move to enjoy. Question: When reading a synopsis, what sells you on wanting to read the manuscript and what turns you off?I'd love a book from Cheryl Wyatt or Audra Harders!

Hi Carol Ann, in a syopsis I like to see strong characters whose goals come across right away. Characters on a mission with interesting, believable motivation driving them from the outset. I also look for a unique story premise, something that catches my eye immediately--as I mention in the interview, perhaps some fresh, different character occupations. I also look for a sense of the characters' conflicts, what's going to be keeping the hero/heroine apart, to sense whether the author has a good grasp of romantic conflict and tension. Otherwise, the story's not going to be compelling or strong enough to acquire.

It sounds as if you have a great job! You describe it with such enthusiasm. And I love your details about life in NYC--I visit there fairly often because my brother lives there, but I can't quite imagine living and working there.

Rachel,Do most of Harlequin's manuscripts come through agents? How do new writers generally break in?Thanks so much,LarissaPS I can understand your country music withdrawal. I had the same feeling when we lived overseas, which led to my iTunes addiction. I missed country radio so much!

I wanted to say hello to Rachel. Thank you for a wonderful, insightful interview.

I started reading Love Inspired books about two years ago. When my mother was alive I ordered them for her in large print and she passed them around her Sunday School class of women over 80--they loved them.

Now I have begun to write a LIH but I'm short about 50K words to send a first and last page.

Oh no, not high heels. I loved them but they didn't love me and I fell over more than I stood up.

I love these kind of blogs! The background in how Love Inspireds "work" is fascinating to me! All those questions and answers were great to read! Thanks! I would love to have any of Ruthy's books, Missy's book (I never got to read that one!), Audrea's book or At Home in His Heart! What a great contest! Loved reading all the comments too. LI's and LIH's are my favorites! Valriwesternaz@msn.com

Hey Larissa, we do get manuscripts from agents, but many submissions I receive are unagented. Here's a link to our guidelines: LI: http://www.eharlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=559&chapter=0. LIH: http://www.eharlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=1186&chapter=0LIS: http://www.eharlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=919&chapter=0

Not that things aren't always exciting around here, but there's just something about that breath of NYC air.

Your comment about moving to New York at "barely age 22" tilted me a bit - but then I remembered myself at 22. Touring Europe with just me, a backpack and a Eurail Pass. I think I need to remember myself at that age more often!

You really do have the dream job - thanks for stopping by and sharing it with us.

And of course I want to be included in the drawing, but it's hard to find a book in the list that I haven't read yet. Tell you what, just put me in for whatever, and if I already have it I'll pass it on!

Hi Rachel! Congrats on being able to do something you love in the big city! I'm impressed with your high-heel wearing skills : ). When I finished college I went out on my own and moved to another country...didn't know anyone I would be working with. But what an awesome adventure...I loved it! It sounds like you have grown to love your new home, too.I was wondering what your favorite book is? I've loved reading from a young age, too, and it's hard for me to choose one...so maybe you have a couple of favs?

I'd love a chance to win Wanted: A Family. Blessings~Staceytravelingstacey(at)bellsouth(dot)net

Hi Stacey! Ah, the question every editor dreads: picking a favorite book. To me, that's akin to asking a surfer to pick a favorite wave! As I mentioned, I'm a huge Nicholas Sparks fan and have read 'em all (and seen all the movies). I can't help it--I'm a hopeless romantic! Very, very different, but my favorite classic is A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I love the colorful, passionate characters and I can just feel the energy and excitement of the French Revolution in every page. Another favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird. I have a soft spot for coming-of-age stories, and as someone who grew up spending her childhood summers in southern Louisiana, I also have a great fondness for the South, and I easily connect to books set in that part of the country. Since college I have been very into women's fiction, and I could rant and rave about Emily Giffin and her 5 bestsellers and the deep, heartfelt issues they tackle, including relationships, soulmates, faithfulness, loyalty, motherhood, etc. I really could go on and on!

Good morrrrrrrning, Seekerville! Had to sashay over here from Facebook at Ruthie's suggestion, but I haven't had my morning coffee yet. Drat! Tina, is some of your Starbucks elixir still available?

Thanks, Rachel, for this great peek into your busy life. I've never been to NY. Vancouver, Canada is my stomping ground and is plenty big enough for me... AND we have not one but TWO country music stations!

I'd be very happy to get my hands on one of Ruthie's books or Debby Giusti's, either a print or Kindle copy... something to read with this great cup of coffee. (Thanks, Tina!)

Thanks for the peek into your life! Sounds exciting, although it also sounds like you work a lot.

Would you be able to expound on the idea of starting with a bang? I've heard Harlequin editors say they don't want a "gimmick." How about an example from something published? Since these are emotional books, are you speaking of something that is not necessarily external?

Hi Rachel! Glad you're enjoying your stint at Harlequin and in NYC. From a native New Yorker now transplanted, preserve your feet. Yes, you can do it at your age, but NYC concrete is very unforgiving. Don't wait until you have to give up heels completely. Carry your shoes (unless you're on your way to an event.) No one thinks any less of you if you do. :-)

As a reader, I agree with your comments about what needs to be in a story. I would ask for one more thing which I want to see:

The heroine needs to give the hero ample reasons why he should fall in love with her. Not just looks or hormones. Whatever she looks like, the hero should be thinking: “Don’t let this one get away!” This should be independent from the GMC journey. It should be: “This heroine is the right person for this hero.”

One question: “When does history end for Love Inspired Historical romances?” 1946? 1954?

Wish list: more books set during the Roman Empire.

Vince

P.S. I think I have all the Seerker books (that are available in large print format or eBook). I’m reading “Mended Hearts” and “At Home in His Heart” right now. I need to win more time in a day. : )

BTW: How come “Mended Hearts” seems to have a prologue that is contemporaneous with Chapter One? Befuddled! Is this a type 5 prologue? : )

Hi, Rachel! So fun to learn more information about you. I can sure see why you do such a good job on my books. I also love Nicholas Sparks. He makes me bawl. But as a romantic, I hate that most of his stories end with someone dying. He makes me appreciate happy endings more. :) Leigh

Hello, lovely Rachel! It was so nice to meet you in NYC! I love shoes, too, but I'm afraid I can't walk very far in high heels. I wore my FitFlops everywhere when I was there. Thanks so much for your great post. Maybe one day I'll figure out how to do this. We're so blessed to have you at Love Inspired. Tell everyone I said hello, and yes, I'm going back to work now.

Rachel. I love that you mentioned what you're heavy on because part of that IS MY FAULT!

I was chatting with Mia Ross (Andrea Chermak) online yesterday because I've been construction/carpenter guy heavy! And even in the books without one as a hero, we're busily rebuilding Jamison, NY so they're there as part of the backdrop. (and yeah, they're hunky, but enough already!).

Oh my stars.

So my next proposal will be sheriffs. First responders. Gotta change things up a bit, and thank you for mentioning that so openly. Be it horses or handymen, we can't just keep replicating the same story.

Duly Noted!!! And I LOVE writing about sheriffs/cops. Men and women. God bless 'em all. Don't you just love, love, love a man in uniform?

Loved Mario Batali's Eataly on the corner of 5th and 23rd, near the flat iron building. I gave a shout out to Mario and asked if he'd stop by Seekerville. He's bringing pizza and pasta and all the gelato Seekerville can eat! Enjoy!

Rachel -- I enjoyed getting to know you a little better. I'm in awe of anyone who can walk in the super high heels in NYC. You're fearless and that's what you need, in my humble opinion, to be an editor these days so I'm not surprised you can do it. I haven't had the pleasure of working with you on much yet, but I look forward to doing so some day.

I forgot to mention in my post that I would like "print" books! I don't have an ereader! I love the feel of holding a book! My mom was a teacher and taught all her kids to love reading! I've taught my own kids the same thing. Since they are all in college now, I guess I taught them one thing! Hey, DEBBIE, I loved Officer's Secret too! I've read every one of your books and enjoed them all! In fact, I really can't think of a LI or LIH that I've read that I didn't love! I guess that means that Rachel is doing her job well! All of your experiences in NYC sounded so fun. I bet all of you had a great time there! Valriwesternaz@msn.com

Hey there Cathy, by starting with a bang, I mean an attention-grabbing first line, first page, first chapter. I'm aware that often a bit of set-up to put readers into the story is necessary, but the less description/backstory, the better, in my opinion. Give the minimum, only what's necessary for readers to jump in! Also, get the hero and heroine together as quickly as possible. I'm especially drawn to funny, quirky or different "meet-cutes." Have them first meet in a humorous situation, an interesting place or by bonding over something they both witness, etc.

A few examples of really strong openings: THE GUNMAN’S BRIDE by Catherine Palmer, Jan 2011 LIH: Starts with an action-packed chase scene with the outlaw hero on the run--straight to the heroine's window! DAUGHTER OF TEXAS by Terri Reed, Jan 2011 LIS: An intense beginning that combines danger and emotion, with high stakes from page 1, as the heroine realizes there's gunfire coming from her father's house--and he's inside! ROCKY MOUNTAIN REDEMPTION by Pamela Nissen, Feb 2011 LIH: An opening that immediately generates sympathy for the heroine by portraying her as destitute, wandering around in the snow after losing everything. AN ACCIDENTAL FAMILY by Loree Lough, June 2011 LI: Very emotional beginning as the hero, a widower, contemplates his own loneliness as he walks his youngest daughter down the aisle at her wedding.

Additionally, here are a few of my favorite first lines from Love Inspired books:

“At precisely one o’clock on a sunny September Saturday afternoon, Megan McGuire spied the pirate.”—DREAMING OF HOME by Glynna Kaye, Oct 2009 (I’m intrigued and want to keep reading!)

“While ‘Mac’ MacCarthy hadn’t counted on peace and quiet when he returned to his office, he hadn’t anticipated an opera-singing cockatoo, either.”—BLUEGRASS CHRISTMAS by Allie Pleiter , Oct 2009 (Hilarious! I can tell this story will have a fresh, fun voice.)

“The man and the two little boys stared down at the disheveled woman asleep on the big Ultrasuede couch in their living room.”—THE PERFECT GIFT by Lenora Worth, Oct 2009 (Begs many questions that I want answers to!)

“When the bells above the door of the coffee shop jangled, Dodie Westerveld looked up from the latte she was making and felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her.”—CLOSE TO HOME by Carolyne Aarsen, Nov 2009 (Yup, I’m in for a toe-tingling romance all right!)

“The first time Addie McCoy saw Nathan Browder, he was in children’s pajamas.”—“The Holiday Husband” by Annie Jones, part of BLESSINGS OF THE SEASON anthology, Nov 2009 (Curious…)

“The roses were perfect, and so was her plan.”—A WEDDING IN WYOMING by Deb Kastner, Dec 2009 (Okay…I’m a sucker for roses! Come on, it’s the quintessential symbol of romance!)

“Dr. Craig Macklin saw nothing but the massive creature before him, a huge, white and hairy Maremma guard dog beleaguered by a face full of porcupine quills.”—WAITING OUT THE STORM by Ruth Logan Herne, July 2010 (Really, do I have to explain why this is a compelling first line?)

Vince: Ahhh, that video explains it all! And reminds me why I like MODERN country music, LOL! As for your question, LIH books can go up to the end of the World War II. Nothing more recent because, well...then it's not so historical, is it?!

Debby: My mom’s from Houma, Louisiana, a town about 50 miles south of New Orleans. Most of her family’s still there, so I go to visit as often as I can. I absolutely love that part of the country—it’s a whole ‘nother world—especially compared to NYC!

Rachel, I love your enthusiasm for your career. I also love the sweet image of you as a little girl on the playground, absorbed in a good book! I'm thinking my teachers didn't allow us to take our books outside, or else I would have been sitting under the trees reading instead of playing hopscotch. What were your favorite childhood books?

I'm so interested in what y'all at Seekerville have to offer today that I'm finally using my real name for a change!

Hi Rachel. It was fun to meet you in New York City. It was at the Algonquin Hotel and Tina introduced us. (I'm reminding you in case you perhaps were insanely busy and met about upteen zillion people that night--I was one of them)Interesting info on Love Inspired. I thought it was especially interesting that you can acquire for all the Harlequin lines. I've wondered about that. If someone sends you a book that you love but isn't right for your catagory but might be right for another one.Thanks for being on.

Caroline: I'm not sure I was technically "allowed" to bring books on the playground either :-P (Ah, so THAT'S why I have nightmares of playground moms chasing me with volleyballs...and why I involuntarily flinch when a ball whizzes by me.) I read a lot of series books as a child--so I was basically destined to work on series romance books! I was sooooooo into the Baby-Sitters Club, Sweet Valley Twins and Nancy Drew!

Hi Mary, of course I remember you! And yup, if I get a manuscript I love but it's not for Love inspired, I could acquire it for another Harlequin line. I think that's a great testament to the importance of finding projects you're passionate about! Why should you have to pass up a story you fall in love with just because it's not for your specific line? :-)

Hi Pepper, excellent question and I'm so glad you brought that up! Love Inspired is indeed looking for unique settings--the Blue Ridge Mountains sounds like it would make a lovely environment for a romance.

You're correct Tina, I do have a bit of Colorado history, though I don't remember it. I was born in Littleton (near Denver), and then I lived in 3 more states (California, Louisiana and Pennsylvania), all by the time I was 4 years old. So I just call Pittsburgh home because that's where we settled and where I was raised, but it is kinda neat that I got to live for brief stints in other states. Also, my family was very big on cross-country travel growing up. We'd pile the 5 of us into the cab of my dad's truck, hitch up our trusty pop-up camper and hit the road for 2-3 weeks every summer. I've been to 45 of the 50 states. (Good old camper's got me beat, though--it's been to every state except Alaska and Hawaii!)

Oh my stars, this is so much fun today, but Pepper, THANK YOU!!! You're right a hammer and a hardhat ...

That's not a BAD combo.

But I felt a NIGGLE of Ruthy-guilt when I saw that house rehab thing because I KNOW we've been rehabbing our economically challenged Jamison ever since Trent Michaels (dreamboat Reunited Hearts hero, Patrick Dempsey cute) came back to help the town.

But I got me a two-thumbs-up CEO ruler of the high tech universe hero in Mended Hearts...

Rachel, I'm so psyched by that awesome image of you in the truck! We love cruisin' in the truck and it's something most kids don't get to do these days, but we do it in the back fields to give them the 'feel' of bein' country kids.

Rachel,I nearly laughed out of my chair when I read your comment about country music in the Big Apple - or lack thereof.I'm in eastern TN - I don't think they sell any other type of music besides Country and Bluegrass 'round hyere ;-)

What a great life! Thanks for sharing with us today.No country music? Country music is full of love and passion. How can you stand it? I'm going to have my 18 year old son read this today. He's going off to college and a pretty good writer. He's focused on English and business. Do you have any suggestions for him?If I ask him to read a blog post of mine he often looks at me and asks if that's the best I can do. Thanks again for sharing.

Hi Jackie, if your son is interested in publishing, I'll give the same advice I gave earlier about getting a job in the business: He should try out internships to see if it's his passion. (I don't know anyone who got started in publishing without first interning.) If he's interested in business, he might find agenting an appealing career path. In general, agents are more interested in the sales side than editors. I had a great internship with two literary agencies that shared an office suite. Also, you can definitely intern at an agency and then end up working for a publishing house, or vice-versa. So basically, my advice is to learn as much about the industry as he can!

While she is not with Love Inspired, she does inspire love – of the edgy kind!

Here is one of my favorite opening lines from A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman:

“Sisters are overrated, she decided. Not all of them, of course, only the beautiful ones who never let you forget it.”

This sold me on the book…one of the last books I bought in a real bookstore.

I, too, would like to see more variation in the occupations of the heroes. The hero’s occupation often dictates the heroine’s as well. The common problem is having two occupations that allow the hero and heroine to have maximum face-to-face interactions.

Handyman = heroine who works from home.Cowboy = woman who works in ranch house.Cop = woman who needs protection or who runs a doughnut shop. : )

These matchups would make great cover art. I believe that authors should ‘write what they don’t know about but leaned about just before writing the story.’ This way they are still full of enthusiasm from their discoveries which they can’t wait to share with their readers.

Hi Rachel.I read your post earlier today but then had to run out the door to head in town. As I was walking up Fifth Ave., I was thinking of you and how brave you were to have attempted this move. The city overwhelms me and I've lived here for over 30 years.

Thanks for sharing your answers. Your books in the schoolyard story reminds me of some of my students.

Tina, why am I not surprised you brought Starbucks? I think were it not for Starbucks I'd never have seen you at all at RWA.

Wow, Rachel looks soooo young! I'd love to know how she landed such a great job at such a young age. (I don't know if anyone asked that, because there are already 121 comments and I can't get through them all!)

What a great giveaway and what a great contest! I've been lurking for quite awhile and just had to jump in and say you ladies are awesome!

Thank YOU, Tina, and all of the other Seekers for having me! Really, the pleasure was all mine :) It was so much fun to hang out with you all today! To everyone I did not get to personally respond to, thank you so much for popping on to say hello, and for your interest in Love Inspired. It was lovely to “meet” so many followers of the wonderful Seekers! I hope I’ve enlightened the editorial process for you all, and answered those burning questions to help you fine-tune the Love Inspired queries you’re dying to send! I’ll be looking for submissions from you all soon ;-)

To our fabulous Love Inspired authors--thanks for stopping by and saying hello. Whether we’ve worked together on a book, chatted over email or danced together at Harlequin’s RWA party, I am so blessed to work with such an amazing, talented and delightful batch of writers. Really, you ladies are a joy and a blessing, and the opportunity to work with you all is what gets me out of bed every morning and keeps the constant smile on my face (err…mostly constant)!

Now--I think I hear an R train heading south to Brooklyn with my name on it…catch y’all down the road!

I know you said you're a pro football fan but do you have any college football teams that you particularly like?

No on the books as I have all but three (Glynna's, Ruthy's, Tina's latest). And, as I won the previuos books from these three wonderful people, I want to purchase the next one. However, if for some reason my name is picked anyway, I would be happy to give one away at the next GRW meeting.

Looks like it's been a busy day in Seekerville. I've been lounging around with a book since my AC went out and was too hot to do anything - including sitting my laptop on my lap for any length of time. It's my b-day and I decided to have time to myself.

Rachel, your pet peeve is my pet peeve. I hate contrived scenes. If it's realistic and moves the story where it needs to go, fine. But don't create drama just for the sake of creating drama. Make it fit the story!

I have some of the books listed, but not all. You could put me down for Glynna Kaye's, Ruth's Mended Hearts, Tina's Oklahoma Reunion, Audra's Rocky mt Hero, Debbie or Camy's books. I think I have the others. So, surprise me. :D If I win.

Hi, Rachel! Thanks so much for stopping by!The fact that you are an "eternal optimist" shines through in how you answered our questions. Sounds like you are having the time of your life -- what a great blessing from the Lord! :) I've never been to NYC, (hope to someday) but it was fun to take a mini adventure with you as you described your work.Have a happy day!tina

P.S. I have only read Camy Tang's books and Ruth Logan Herne's "Small Town Hearts" is next on my reading list. So...anything sweet & romantic, if I win the drawing (Audra's or Missy's books sound delicious right now). <3 Thanks!

Rachel, I love that you pursued your dream job--and in high heels, no less! Great interview, informative and fun. All the books in the giveaway look good--but I'm reading the book by Cheryl Wyatt right now so, if I won, I wouldn't need that one! (It's good!)

First, I have to say that finding the Seekers is the best thing that ever happened to my writing career (potential and otherwise). I have learned so much and have found awesome reads and now, contest opportunities for free!!! The Lord is Good. Wanted to ask Rachel if she things the Christian Inspired future may broaden the general Christian themes to more specific Christian themes. I know that Julie Lessman writes about a Catholic family which is an awesome series but other publishers seem to hesitate unless it is the Amish religion. I do want to read Julie's new book, but I will take ANY book by these excellent writers. Eileen

My daughter graduated in May from Northern Arizona University in Elementary Education and was so stressed that she wouldn't get a teaching job! She has wanted to be a teacher since she was in elementary school herself! Fortunately she just got hired to be a 3rd grade teacher and starts school on Monday but this week has been setting up her room. It's SO fun to see her realize her dream. I love that having a "book/reading" area is one of the most important parts of her room. She & I have scoured used book sales for years looking for books that she could use for just this purpose! She wanted to have an area where her students could have reading time or she could read to them. I guess my love of reading passed on to my kids! YEA!! Valri westernaz@msn.com

Hi Eileen, to answer your question, we are sticking to more general Christian themes in Love Inspired to reach as wide an audience as possible. The goal is to keep the stories relatable for as many readers as we can. Great question!